In my novel EVERY DEEP DESIRE, Rafe and Juliet (the hero and heroine) go through all kinds of hell to win their happy ending after. So I felt I owed it to them to write a wedding scene at the end. Their wedding takes place in a tiny white church on an isolated sea island off the coast of Savannah known as the Isle of Grace. It’s a fictional sea island whose inhabitants have lived there since the mid-sixteen hundreds.
It’s a close-knit community with one small cafe, a church, and an outdoor restaurant called Boudreaux’s. It’s a Cajun cooking shack almost impossible for tourists to find. Hidden deep in the woods, along a river, picnic tables are protected by ancient live oaks trimmed with white lights. There’s a dance floor lined with coolers filled with beer and sweet tea. It’s the most casual kind of family place with live Cajun music and people–young and old–who just want to dance and eat bbq or gumbo or whatever fresh fish has been pulled from the river.
But on Rafe and Juliet’s wedding day, their neighbors supplemented the boiled shrimp with potluck dishes of their own. And this recipe, Slow Cooker Cajun Pork, is the perfect southern dish that could cook during the service and be easily transported to the party. It’s what I would’ve brought to the wedding . . . if I’d been asked. 🙂
Slow Cooker Cajun Pork
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 Tablespoon molasses
- 2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder
- 2 links andouille sausage
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 8 buns for serving
- Pickle slices and potato chips for serving
Instructions
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In a slow cooker, whisk together 1 1/2 cups water, vinegar, ketchup, 1/4 cup of mustard, molasses, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the pork roast to the slow cooker and rub the mixture all over the pork.
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Add the sausage to the pot and cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
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Remove the sausage and pork from the crock pot and set aside to cool. Skim off the excess fat from the cooking liquid. Then strain the liquid into a large skillet.
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Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat. Cook for at least 15 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by about 1/3. Meanwhile shred the pork and coarsely chop the sausage.
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In a large bowl, toss the pork and sausage with just enough cooking liquid to coat the meat, but not soak it. Season with salt.
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In another small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and remaining 2 Tablespoons mustard. Spread this on the buns. Fill the buns with the pulled pork and pickles. Serve with potato chips.